Dr. Lin’s area of interest is evaluating interventions that impact patients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), particularly those with respiratory failure or sepsis.

His current projects focus on three distinct areas:

identification of unique clinical or diagnostic characteristics within broadly heterogeneous disease presentations that allow for exploration of potential targeted therapies;

implementation of specific task-based processes that prevent potentially harmful events or increase team performance; and

systems-based interventions that result in positive culture and behavior changes.

Dr. Lin is actively working in these areas through a number of studies, including international and multicenter epidemiological projects. His specific task-based interventions have included a unit-wide “time-out” approach to the process for re-securing endotracheal tubes, which led to elimination of unplanned extubations complicating this part of PICU care. He works to identify and raise awareness about potential “hot spots” to allow PICU teams to more quickly and effectively respond to life-threatening situations.

In the third area of system-wide interventions, Dr. Lin is leading a local task force and co-leading a national initiative to adapt proven adult-based bundles of ICU care and evaluate efficacy in the critically ill children. The goals of this work are to transform team-based and family centered communication and develop a multi-professional, family inclusive, holistic approach to patient care in the areas of pain control, sedation management, delirium prevention and treatment, and early rehabilitation and mobilization.